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Vaporeon's New BT Team: Fist of Steel

Let's face it, IGRMT could use a good team to rate right about now. I hope I have delivered.

So my streak with Magnum Opus finally ended. In the end, all it took was my blatant ignorance of the fact that Shiftry knows Explosion, and that it is somehow capable of surviving a +6 Surf from Suicune. My streak made it up to 165, a far cry from my goal of 300. But alas, some good has come of this: I am now prepared to create a new team.

This new team was inspired by a very interesting Registeel set I came across on Smogon. I proceeded to sketch the outline of a new team built around him. What you see before you is but an initial sketch, and could do with some fleshing out, especially with the EV spreads (bear in mind when rating that the standard Smogon don't necessarily apply to Battle Tower). So here we are:

The lead. I'm sticking to TrickScarf as my strategy, since I desperately want to get nothing more than a ridiculously high streak. Recover for staying power, Charm to cripple physical threats. Light Screen is the viable option for special threats, so that I can get Registeel in to use Amnesia a few times while the screen is up. Flash is missing from this set, but with good cause. It doesn't affect the accuracy of Struggle or OHKO moves, which is the main reason to use it anyway. Thunder Wave is considerable, but Registeel won't be able to make much use of it, and would benefit much more from a special cushion. I could still use Uxie, if that's more suitable.

EVs: The set I have maxes out her HP, rounds out her defenses, and gets her 137 Spd, which outruns some speed tier... I don't know, it needs help.

The team's namesake. Registeel is a truly special pokemon for the tower. He is one of the few pokemon who has access to both Curse and Amnesia with already superb defenses, which can set him up as an unstoppable bulky sweeper. He has pure steel typing, which grants him many resistances. At +6, he has 468 attack (slightly stronger than a +3 typical Jolly Garchomp). His defenses are astronomical, reaching 720 Def and 748 Sp Def. Meaning that nothing will break his Subs shy of a super-effective Critical Hit (which disregards stat boosts) and OHKO moves. If used and set up properly, he has the potential to be unstoppable.

Again, EVs maximize HP and round out defenses, with the rest in attack to ensure he can sweep. Heatran will prove to be a real b*tch to him, but hopefully I can learn to overcome it. EV advice would be appreciated.

For the last Pokemon, I wanted someone with reasonable bulk who had access to a stat boosting move, a strong STAB move, a healing move, and reasonable defenses to begin with. Togekiss seemed to fit the role well, although there are many other candidates to consider. Togekiss is almost filler here: I could end up using CM Suicune instead, or Outrage/Sub/DD/Roost Dragonite or Salamence (in that instance, I would switch Latias for Uxie). Nevertheless, Togekiss may prove to work very well.

EVs are random. Maxed HP, rounded defenses, and a few in speed to outrun other base 80s. Definitely need help here.

So there you go. Places of concern: EVs (everyone), and whether Togekiss fits in well. Help me out and rate away.

Hmmm... Well, it's good but I noticed a few problems with it. And if I'm the one noticing problems on a BT Team, then you know the world is ending.

For Latias, allow me to ease your EV problem by eliminating your Speed EV's, using one of your posts about an Uxie.

Originally Posted by Vaporeon4evr

Anyways, let me qualm your EV fears for him. He needs no speed EVs, and this is why:

If he is faster than Aerodactyl:

Uxie uses Trick
Aero uses Move
Aero uses Move
Uxie uses TWave

If he is slower:

Aero uses Move
Uxie uses Trick
Aero uses Move
Uxie uses TWave

In either situation, the enemy will get two moves in on you before you can paralyze him. So you can bypass speed EVs and just focus on defenses.

And I'm sure that the same sort of situation applies for Latias, since she is faster than Uxie, T-Wave is just replaced by Charm or Light Screen. I'd run 252Hp/236Def/20Sp.Def with a Bold nature, that maximizes her defenses. T-Wave should be given another look, b/c even if it doesn't help Registeel, it sure as hell helps Togekiss.

For Registeel, the current spread you've got is good, but I'm unusre about the moveset and nature. Wouldn't it be better to run a Sassy nature and Gyro Ball if sweeps are what you're after? Gyro Ball gets more power than Iron Head on just about everything that's common in the BT, so I'd think it's the better choice.

For Togekiss, that EV spread isn't really that random. You might be better off making her a psuedo-Special Scizor and running 252Hp/176Sp.Atk/80Spe with a Modest Nature, seeing as she can set up Sub and NP for extra power. Granted, she doesn't get a Technitian boost or Priority, but Serene Grace gives Air Slash a 60% Flinch chance which is quite useful. You could also reverse Sp.Atk and Spe on the spread that I gave if you'd like to outspeed some stuff at the cost of some power and take advantage of Air Slash's flinch chance. She's bulky enough to take some hits, and Sub+Roost helps sponge up the additional damage. Sharp Beak for the item is fine.
As for wether it fits the team or not, it does, but Suicune helps you with your Heatran weakness, while Mence would help with your gigantic Magnezone weakness, neither of which Togekiss does. Using Mence and replacing Latias with Uxie might be the best way you can go. I can see MixPert and Bulky Suicune giving this team several problems, tho.

Last edited by Eon Master; 4th November 2009 at 12:31 AM.

"I'm fighting because there's a battle to be fought, Archer. I'm fighting to win. That's all."

"Hm. Alright, Rin. You are indeed my ideal Master. There is no one else I could hope to serve."

Hmmm... Well, it's good but I noticed a few problems with it. And if I'm the one noticing problems on a BT Team, then you know the world is ending.

For Latias, allow me to ease your EV problem by eliminating your Speed EV's, using one of your posts about an Uxie.

And I'm sure that the same sort of situation applies for Latias, since she is faster than Uxie, T-Wave is just replaced by Charm or Light Screen. I'd run 252Hp/236Def/20Sp.Def with a Bold nature, that maximizes her defenses. T-Wave should be given another look, b/c even if it doesn't help Registeel, it sure as hell helps Togekiss.

Thing is, that post was applicable to Uxie because Uxie had T-wave. There are certain speed tiers I want to hit so that I can still outrun them while they have my Scarf. I'd love to maximize her defenses, but I'm not quite sure how many speed EVs I want at this point. T-wave certainly would help out Togekiss, but I'd rather help out Registeel than her.

For Registeel, the current spread you've got is good, but I'm unsure about the moveset and nature. Wouldn't it be better to run a Sassy nature and Gyro Ball if sweeps are what you're after? Gyro Ball gets more power than Iron Head on just about everything that's common in the BT, so I'd think it's the better choice.

No, and here's why. Gyro Ball operates on a formula that takes into account the difference between the two Pokemon's speed. So while it does cap out at 150 Base Power for, say, Electrode, it won't do very much against other Curse-users, like Steelix, etc. That, and it only has 5 PP. Iron head is reliable, has a respectable amount of PP, and comes with a 30% flinch rate.

For Togekiss, that EV spread isn't really that random. You might be better off making her a psuedo-Special Scizor and running 252Hp/176Sp.Atk/80Spe with a Modest Nature, seeing as she can set up Sub and NP for extra power. Granted, she doesn't get a Technitian boost or Priority, but Serene Grace gives Air Slash a 60% Flinch chance which is quite useful. You could also reverse Sp.Atk and Spe on the spread that I gave if you'd like to outspeed some stuff at the cost of some power and take advantage of Air Slash's flinch chance. She's bulky enough to take some hits, and Sub+Roost helps sponge up the additional damage. Sharp Beak for the item is fine.

The thing is, Scizor could get away with an EV spread like that, because his typing gives him many resistances. Also, he needed the extra attack EVs because Bullet Punch's base power was only a modest 90, after STAB and Technician. Togekiss on the other hand, needs the extra defense, and can afford to relinquish some of its special attack EVs.

As for wether it fits the team or not, it does, but Suicune helps you with your Heatran weakness, while Mence would help with your gigantic Magnezone weakness, neither of which Togekiss does. Using Mence and replacing Latias with Uxie might be the best way you can go. I can see MixPert and Bulky Suicune giving this team several problems, tho.

Bah. I'd probably be better off switching Togekiss with a revenge killer, like Scarf Machamp of Scarf Garchomp.

This team needs T-wave support, IMO. I'll come back to rate this properly later.

EDIT: Yes, if you're going to use Toge, you're going to need T-Wave. A 60% Flinch chance is nothing when you don't have the speed to abuse it. However, you need to replace a valuable moveslot. You can rule out Air Slash, since that's the offensive move you need to use. You can rule out Sub, since that's your hax protection. So you need to replace Nasty Plot or Roost. I would personally omit Roost, since if you give him Lefties he can recover decently well with the opponent struggling to get a move in past the Finch/Para chance.

You could run T-Wave on Latias instead, but that route is usually less reliable. Either way, Paralysis helps this team a lot.

Also, two of your pokemon are weak to ice. Dunno if it will cause problems, but it's worth noting.